Marital and Family Law Certification.

• Author: Hodas, Benjamin T.
• Position: Annual Reports of Committees of the Florida Bar: 2018-2019

The Marital and Family Law Certification Committee is responsible for overseeing the process of certifying attorneys as marital and family law specialists recognized by The Florida Bar and reviewing the applications of currently certified attorneys seeking recertification because their terms are expiring. The certification process includes the following requirements: extensive peer and judicial review references, substantial involvement in complex marital and family law cases, trial of many family law cases, and passing a comprehensive all-day exam. The committee encourages those attorneys who meet the criteria for certification to join their colleagues in the select group who have been "evaluated for professionalism, tested for experience."

As chair of the Marital and Family Law Certification Committee, I am happy to report another successful year. The committee is comprised of nine board certified attorneys who work throughout the state. The committee had its first telephonic meeting in early July 2018 and regular meetings thereafter (both telephonic and in-person) to draft the 2019 examination and to review initial and recertification applications. During that time, the committee worked to continue the prior committees' improvement of the quality of the certification exam to meet the high standards expected by committee members and The Florida Bar.

Of the more than 100,000 members of The Florida Bar, 276 are currently board certified in marital and family law. Thirty-nine total attorneys applied to take the 2019 marital and family law certification exam. Seventeen of the 39 applicants submitted "abbreviated applications" after either failure or nonattendance at the 2018 exam. Ultimately, 30 applicants sat for the exam. The committee also reviewed 48 recertification applications this year.

The marital...